Coltautos.com Gun of the Month - May 1999Colt Model 1905 Serial Number 5473Inscribed "Col. John Caswell"

Model 1905 serial number 5473. A very unique
Model 1905 with an interesting history. The pistol is inscribed "Col. John
Caswell" on the backstrap and is complete with the original holster. The Colt
Factory Letter indicates that this pistol was a one gun shipment shipped on
July
11, 1911 to Von Lengerke & Detmold, 349 Madison Avenue, New
York, NY. The history behind this gun is that it was special ordered by Col. Caswell
to take on an African safari. While on the safari, his hunting party was attacked by
natives and Caswell had to use this Model 1905 to defend himself. He was so disturbed by
what transpired that when he returned to the States, he eventually gave the gun to a
friend of his who was the president of a bank in South Carolina. The gun remained in
the same family for more than two generations.

Inscribed "Col. John Caswell" on Backstrap

The original holster purchased from Von Lengerke
& Detmold, NY by Col. Caswell for his new Model 1905 Colt.